Friday, November 22, 2013

Ferrari Reportedly Turbocharging Next California

We've heard it before and now the UK's TopGear magazine is also reporting that Ferrari is looking into turbocharging the successor to the current California model – the two-seater metal folding hardtop coupe that constitutes their idea of an entry level model.

Currently powered by a naturally-aspirated V8, the next one would enjoy the benefits of such a move, according to the firm’s CEO, Amadeo Felisa. This had been speculated before, and it was Felisa again who made the statements - back then, he also mentioned that it may have six instead of eight cylinders.

Ferrari is one of the last automakers to resist the turbocharging and downsizing trends one notices throughout the industry, even if they had dabbled with the idea before; the F40 was turbocharged and has a relatively small displacement, yet none of the two detract from its historic value for the brand and its manic performance, even by modern standards.

The California replacement (which will be called something else) won’t be a hybrid, though, as the kind of tech used in the flagship LaFerrari would be too expensive to viably offer at the latter’s much lower expected retail price. However, there is the promise of very low turbo lag and instant throttle response, as well as an excellent sound signature to boot, but after turning our ear towards the prototype filmed last year around the Fiorano, we hope they improve it in production form, at least from an acoustic point of view…

In regards to naturally-aspirated V12s, the same source states that Ferrari doesn’t want to rid itself of them in the foreseeable future; this will undoubtedly please the fans who will buy even more theme park tickets, caps and t-shirts because of this.